Aerial-navigation machine.



Hq C. BERRY. AERIAL NAVIGATION MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Mns, 1911. Rmmwnn AUG. z2, 1914.

3.91 @S Eatented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i HARRY c. BERRY, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NAVIGATION COMPANY, FORNIA.

AERIAL-NAVIGATION MACHINE.

Application led May 6, 1911, Serial No. 625,594. Renewed August T0 all whom it may concern Be lit lmown that I, HARRY C. BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented anew and useful Aerial-Navigation Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aerial navigation machines and the main object of the invention is to dx-rovide for reducing or eliminating the head on resistance at the front of the machine.

The invention is vparticularly applicable in connection with machines of the dirigible balloon type, and in such connection it provides for producing an outward and rearwardly moving conical current of the air in front of the balloon, the outward movement of this air continually removing air from the path of the balloon, so as to reduce thev .obstruction to forward movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for guiding the machine in vertical and horizontal planes. I

A further object of the invention is to provide means forv facilitating the ascent and descent of the machine.

Other objects'of the invention will appearv Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line S-s in Fig. 1. Fig. '4 is a plan of the machine, showing diagrammatically the course of the air currents produced by the blowers. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the blowers with parts broken away. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the combined inlet and outlet nozzle at the forward end of the machine. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line @v7- m7 in Fig. 6. Fig.

- 8 is a vertical section on line :vB-w8 in Fig.

6, showing the construction of the air connections from the blowers to the said nozzle. Fig. 9 is a similar section taken on line .faQ-x9 Fig. 6, showing theconnections at a point forward of the junction of the connecting tubes. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the box rudder at the rear end of the machine. Fig. 11 is an end view of the ball for ythe joint of the box rudder. Fig. 12 is a section Specification of Letters'atent.

ASSIGNOR TO RAPID TRANSIT AIR OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F CALI- Patented Mar. so, 1915. 22, 1914. serial No. 858,128.

through one of the blower casings showing the controller valve forthe outlet of the blower. Fig. 18 is a side elevation of a form of theinvention in which a plurality of nozzle devices are provided for producing a series of sheetsof air passing rearwardly around the machine at dierent points along its length to insure free movement of the machine.

1 designates the body of the dirigible balloon, which body may be cylindrical in shape and provided with conical front and rear portions 2 and 3. Within the body 1 are provided the blowing devices connected to inlet and outlet means for affecting the propulsion and guiding of the vehicle by reaction of air currents produced by the blower.

An inlet and outlet nozzle 4 is provided at the front or forward end of the machine, said nozzle having a central inlet opening or passage 5 opening directly-at the front of the machine and said nozzle being provided with a rearwardly directed discharge or outlet means 6 surrounding said inlet or suction opening 5. Said nozzle is conical' and surrounds the forward, conical end of the body vthese pipes V9, 10 and 11 serving to control the vertical movement, as hereinafter set forth.

The aforesaid blowers are preferably of the centrifugal compresser type, each blower comprising a casing having a central inlet at each side and a plurality of peripheral outlets connected to the pipes leading to the points of'discharge. 1 prefer to arrange the blowers in pairs, of blowers indicated at 13 and a rear pair of blowers indicated at 14. The casing of each of the forward pair of blowers has its central inlets 16 at thc respective sides connected respectively by pipes 17 to a main suction pipe 18 leading forwardly to the inlet 5 at there being a forward pair v 11 may the forward end of the machine. 'The cas-l ing of each of the rear` blowers has its central inlets 16 connected by pipes 19 to the main suction pi e 18, all of these subsidiary suction pipes 1 and 19 being preferably `connected to the main suction pipe 18 at a common point, as indicatedl in Figs. 2 and 6. The combined force of all of the blowers is thereby exertedV in drawing in air through the inlet 5, producing a partial vacuum 1n front of the machine and tending to draw the machine forward through. the air. ln addition to this suctional eEect there isga positive drivingeifect due to the currents of air passing from the rearwardly discharg' ing outlet means 6, said outlet'means being preferably formed with an approximately annular outlet consisting, for example, of two goose-neck members 6 having their discharge portions extended circumferentially to form approximately semicircular outlet portions 6 at their rear ends, the other ends of said goose-neck members being connected to pipes 21 leading to the pressure side of the blowers. These rearwardly directed outlet means 6 extending through approximately a complete circle producin a coneshaped sheet or current of air w ichl surrounds or envelops the body of the machine and not only drives the same forward by positive reaction on the air but eliminates the resistance due to surface friction in passage of the machine through the air, as hereinafter explained. In order to compensate for the-circumferential expansion of these nozzle members, the same are preferably made tapering in a radial direction so as to maintain a constant area or even a slight contraction of the area rearward so as to accelerate /the discharge. The pressure pipes 21 leading to the respective nozzle members 6 are connected to the casings of the respective forward blowers 13 at the peripheralportions of said casings.

A fan or runner 22 is supported `by a shaft 23 in each of the blowers, said shaft being, for example, mounted on a central bearing 25 between the blowers of each pair.

Means are provided for rotating the shaft, so as to cause the runner to rotate forwardly and drive `the air by centrifugal action from the central'inlets to the peripheral outlets,

the air passing in at the inletat each side of.

the casing and thev currents of air so passing meeting one another and passing out together through the outlet, so that the full suction and compressing effects are secured. The downwardly extending discharge pipe also be connected to the casing of one or both of the forward blowers andthe other downward discharge pipe 10 being connectedsimilarly to the casing of one or both of the rear blowers. Other pipes, indicated at 27, may lead to the casings of the forward and rear blowers upwardly to the upward discharge pipe 9. The-main outlet connection of the rear pair of blowers is through pipes 28 extending from the peripheral portion of the casing thereof to the rearward discharge pipe 7. Each of the outlet pipes from the casings of the respective blowers extends tangentially from the casing in the direction of rotation of the runner within the casing, so that the air moving at high velocity within the casing under the action of the runner passes out through the discharge pipe by reason of its own velocity as well .as by reason of the centrifugalsaction of the'runner, A. valve 29 may be providedA at'the outlet from the blower casing to each of these discharge pipes.

Shafts 23 carrying the runners 22'may be operated by pulley and belt connections 30 and 31 from an engine or motor 32.

33 indicates a fuel tank for supplying the engine. j

A box rudder 35 is mounted ona ball and socket joint 36 atthe rear end of the machine, said ball and socket joint surrounding the rear discharge pipe 7 `and said box rudder being formed as, for example, a rectangular box open at its rear end and surrounding the discharge outlet of said pipe 7. Springs 37 tend to hold this box rudder in normal position, facing directly rearward. The saidball and socket joint may consist of a ball-shaped member surrounding said pipe 7 and working within a spherical bearing 39 in the box rudder, said bearings betions 40 Yengaging in circumferential grooves 41 in said ball,'as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Said box rudder may be operated by wires or flexible connections 43 and 44 extending forwardlyT within the body l and connected to operating levers 45- and 46.. A. box vrudder 48 may be similarly mounted on the upwardly discharging pipe 9, by ball and socket joint 50, springs 51 being provided tending to hold said top box rudder in position in which it faces directly upward, and controlling means consisting of wires 53 and 54 being connected tosaid box rudder and to controlling lever 55 toturn the said box rudder forwardlyy or rearwardly. Any one or more of the discharge pipes may be provided with a rearwardly tapering outlet or nozzle portion, as indicated at 7 for the rearward discharge pipe 7, so as to accelerate the outwardly flowing current of air and increase the reaction on the air.

The body 1 of the balloon is preferably nearly cylindrical with a slight rearward taper, and with conical front and rear ends. Said body is provided with a frame 1 formed with a series of compartments or gas bags 58 arranged end to end, and the conical forward and aft portions 2 and 3 of said body may also serve as gas bags.

1,1se,coe,

forward chamber or portion of the machine,

the gas bags aforesaid extending over the cabin and pilot chamber.

Between the cabin and the gas bags 58,V

spaces may be provided occupied by supplementary bags 63 connected to the respective gas bags by valves 65, said gas bags 63 being collapsed under being adapted to receive gas from the respective bags 58 when the pressure in the gas bags* 58 becomes excessive by reason of heat of the suns rays, for example, thus,

. relieving the pressure on the main gas bags 32 being set in operation,

For use in alighting, pontoon devices or extensible skids may be provided consisting of shoes or members 66 for engaging the surface onv which the machine alights, said shoes being preferably convex and bags or collapsible receivers 67 formed of flexible material and seated within pockets or chambers 68 on the bottom of the body 1, said shoes serving as doors or closures for said chambers when the bags 67 are collapsed.

Pipe connections 69 controlled by valves 70 are provided from the blowing devices above described to the respective bags 67, so that on opening said valves compressed air may be admitted to said bags to distend the same 'and force ythe shoes 66 downwardly below the bottom of the body 1.

The body 1 may be provided with longitudinal fins 72 on Vthe periphery' thereof to prevent rolling side motion and to assist in raising and sustaining the machine.

The operation of the invention as ap-` plied to a dirigible balloonor aerial navigation machine is as follows: The engine thejrrunners 22 of the blowers 13 and 14 are rotated, causing air to be drawn in through the central inlets of said blowers and to be discharged at high velocity through the peripheral elements thereof, the inlets of all of the blowers being connected to the central inlet 5 at the forward end of the machine, air is drawn in through said inlet continually removing the air from in front ofthe Inachine and diminishing the resistance to the forward movement and drawing the machine forward by reason of the deficiency of pressure at the forward end as compared with that at the rear end. The air drawn into the blowers in this manner is discharged in part throughthe forwardly (extending pipes 21' to the` respective nozzle` members 6 and is turned backward at the forward end of said pipes' by said nozzle `members-j and discharged .rearwardly normal condition and through the approximately annular outlets formed by the outlet portions 6, the air bcing discharged from said outlet kin 'a substantially continuous conical sheet or current around the front end of the body,

,throwing off all headon resistance by diverting all of the air not drawn in/by the suction. It will be understood that it is not necessary that the nozzle members 6 should quite meet to eflect this operation as the j spreading" of said nozzle membersl in a circumferential direction produces a'" correspondingspread in the jets issuing therefrom, so that they will meet at a greater or less distance rearward of the nozzle to form a complete conical current or sheet of moving air. If in any case the operation of a single nozzle of-this character is not suii- Icient to divert the air from in front of and away from the body of ltli'e machine sufiicientlyto Aeliminate the head-on and frictionalV resistance,` additional outlet means maybe provided as indicated at 76 in Fig. 13, said outlet means being formed as annular outlets extending around the body of the machine at various pointsy along the length thereof to produce a-conical outflowing sheet oflair at each of these points, these annular outlet devices being connected to the outlets or compressor sides of the blowing devices above described. The rearwardly flowing conical sheets of air are not in direct contact with the 4body of the machine, but are separated somewhat therefrom, as shown in Fig'. 4, so `that space is left for eddy or return currents which tend to pass forwardly in contact with the body and further remove the frictional resistance to forward movements. The discharge from the rear blowers 14, 'or 'most of` such discharge, passes rearwardly through the pipes 7, being discharged at the rearaend of the machineand giving a direct forward action, a

this rearward current also being utilized in steering by the aid of the box rudder 35, saidbox rudder being turned 'upward or ldownward or to one side or the other in such manner that the said current lmpingesv upwardly extending pipe 9 impinges on the rear or forward wall thereof. The discharge'through this top pipe 9 is regulated by opening or closing valves 29 for the corresponding outlets of the blowers, such valvesV being opened when it is desired to use .the said top pipe either for effecting the ,operationlof the box rudder 48 or for direct depression of the machine by reaction on the air due to the ascending current from said pipe '9. The downwardly extending gas to pass to the supplementary bags 63 inl case o`f expansion by heat or to flow back to the main bag in case of contraction by cold,

said supplementary bags being suiiicien'tly elastic to receiveand expel gas. IVVhatIclaim'is: y o t 1. In an aerial-navigation machine, the combination `of a cylindrical machine'body having a conical forward end, blowing means within said body, an inlet pipel for said blowing means, said inlet pipe having.

an inlet opening atlfthe apex of the forward end of the body, and a conical nozzle,sur'

rounding said inlet pipe and surrounding the conical forward end of the body, and nozzle being connected to the outlet of said blowing means to discharge a conical current of air around said forward end of the body. y

`2. In an aerial navigation machine, the combination withthe body of the machine,

f blowing' means mounted thereon, an inlet .means for said blowing means, an outlet means for said blowing means extending to the rear of the machine and having a rearwardly opening outlet, a box rudder surrounding said outlet, said box rudder being mounted to swing in Vertical and horizontal planes, and means for controlling the angular position of said box rudder.

3. In an aerial navigation machine, the combination with the body of the machine,

mounted toswing in vertical and. horizontal planes, means for controlling the angular position of saidv rudder, and springs conlnected to said box rudder tending to retain the same in normal position.

1.4. In an aerial vnavlgatlon machine, the

combination with the body of the machine,

blowing means mounted thereon, an inlet means for sald blowing means, an outlet .means for said blowing means extending to rthe top of the machine and having an upwardly opening. outlet, a box rudder, surrounding said'loulet, said box rudder being mounted to swing in vertical and horizontal planes, and means for controlling the angulai1 position of said box rudder.

i5. In lan aerial navigation machinethe combination with the body of the machine, blowing means mounted thereon, an inlet means for said blowingineans, an outlet means for said blowing means extending to `the top of the machine and having an upwardly opening outlet, a box rudder surrounding said outlet, said box rudder being -mounted to swing in vertical and horizontal planes, means for controlling the angular position of said box rudder, and vsprings connected. to said box rudder tending to retain the same in normal position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California this 29th day of April, 1911.

HARRY C. BERRY.

In presence of ARTHUR I. KNIGHT, GLADYS RUSSELL.

a box rudder surrounding said outlet, said box rudder being 

